Australian model Rachael Finch does something that many parents may joke about, but would never do: she enjoys weekends without her 2 year old. Not just the occasional get away, but every weekend she leaves her daughter Violet with her husband’s mother so that they can have the weekend to themselves. Wow! Talk about selfish! Does Rachael view her daughter as a play toy, or something that she’s interested in only when it’s convenient to her?! Rachael recently told The Daily Telegraph, “I think that’s incredibly healthy for the relationship.” Look, I’m new to this parenthood thing, but here’s my take: My wife Jenni and I decided to have a child because we wanted a family. We had many long conversations about the sacrifices that we knew would come with being parents. No more late Friday nights with friends, weekend getaways on a moments notice, getting tipsy on the weekends or living just for ‘ourselves’. Our son Reed is our first priority. Our schedule totally revolves around him and his needs. That doesn’t mean we will never have time to ourselves. We are blessed with wonderful parents who are beyond excited to help babysit Reed when Jenni and I want a ‘date night’ or plan a weekend getaway. Now Rachael’s child is two years old, whereas my son just turned one month old this week, so perhaps my attitude would change in a year. Doubt it. Seriously doubt it. You don’t become a parent because it’s what your friends are doing, or because you want a little playmate. Jenni and I look forward to spending time with Reed everyday, not just through the week. We both have extremely busy schedules with our careers, but our first priority is, and always will be, our family. I don’t doubt that Rachael Finch loves her daughter, but I think for her to want to spend every weekend away from Violet is troubling. It’s a sign of immaturity. Every couple needs time alone, but there’s a balance, and most important, when you’re raising a child, it’s a 24/7/365 job. It’s a job that I chose and that I love and would not trade for anything.
